Tray rack



Oct. 5, 1965 E. POPE TRAY RACK Filed April 18, 1965 INVENTOR. EDKER POPEFIG. 3

United States Patent 3,209,711 TRAY RACK Edker Pope, 1580 E. IndustrialSt., Costa Mesa, Calif. Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,932 1 Claim.(61. 108-152) This invention relates to a tray rack having means forsupporting a tray or trays in horizontal planes at the sides thereof.

There are several standard types of tray racks in use throughout thefood handling and processing industry. One such rack is referred to as aportable table top rack, and involves generally, an open substantiallycubical frame having four vertical corner posts, a flat horizontallydisposed rectangular table top at the top of the frame, a plurality ofvertically spaced pairs of laterally spaced tray-supporting rails withinthe frame, below the table top, and caster wheels at the lower ends ofthe posts.

The table top is provided as a working surface on which foodstuffscarried by the trays supported in the rack can be engaged and workedupon.

Due to the fact that the trays of food must be removed from the rack inorder to transfer the food thereon to and from the table top, othermeans, such as a shelf or table must be provided in close proximity tothe rack and upon which the trays can be set.

In an effort to avoid the necessity of providing a separate tray supportfor use in connection with portable table top tray racks, the prior arthas provided such racks with drop leaf type tray supports at the sidesthereof. While such supports do serve to support the trays relatedthereto at the sides of the rack and adjacent the table top, they areundesirable as they tend to collapse and fail, are costly tomanufacture, require separate moving parts which must be manuallymanipulated and further, they establish obstructions which interferewith free movement of the rack.

The trays used in connection with such racks have become standardizedand are characterized by flat horizontally disposed rectangular bottomwalls, upwardly and outwardly inclined marginal flanges about theperimeter of the bottom walls and outwardly and downwardly turned lipsabout the upper edges of the flanges, or about the rims of the trays.

An object of my invention is to provide a rack of the general characterreferred to having novel means for engaging and supporting trays toproject from the sides thereof in a horizontal plane.

It is an object of this invention to provide tray-support ing means ofthe character referred to which involves no moving parts or parts whichproject from the rack in a manner that would present an obstruction orobstacle during normal use of the rack.

A further object of this invention is to prOVide a tray supporting meansof the character referred to which is rugged, durable and dependable,and a means with which a standard tray can be easily and convenientlyengaged without the exercise of any special skill or the operation ofany mechanical devices.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tray-supportingmeans of the character referred to having a portion to engage andsupport the bottom of a tray, adjacent one side of the tray and aportion to establish hooked engagement with the rim of the tray adjacentthe said one side of the tray and to thereby prevent downward pivotingand tipping of the other side of the tray and lateral shifting of thetray relative by bottom engaging support.

It is an object of this invention to provide means of the characterreferred to wherein the said means extends longitudinally along one sideof the rack with which it is related and establishes supportingengagement with a tray substantially co-extensive with one side thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means of the characterreferred to wherein the portion establishing hook engagement with therim of a tray is provided with means at the ends thereof to establishstops to engage the tray and prevent the tray from shiftinglongitudinally relative to the said means.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of typical preferredforms and applications of my invention throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable table top tray rack havingthe tray-supporting means provided by the present invention incorporatedtherein and showing standard trays related thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 2-2 on FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified form of myinvention.

The present invention relates to a novel portable top tray rackconstruction with which trays can be easily and conveniently arranged toproject laterally from the sides of the rack, in a common plane with thetable top thereof.

The ordinary table top tray rack T, such as is illustrated in thedrawings, includes generally, an open substantially cubical frame havingfour vertical corner posts 10, a plurality or series of elongatehorizontally disposed, vertically spaced tray-engaging rails 11 fixed toand extending between two adjacent corner posts, and to occur at oneside of the rack, a like series of tray-engaging rails 11' related inlike manner to the other two corner posts to occur at the opposite sideof the rack, upper and lower spreaders 12 and 13 fixed to and extendingbetween the upper and lower ends of the corner posts at the ends of therack, that is, sides of the rack intermediate the said one and oppositesides of the rack, supporting caster wheels W at the lower ends of thecorner posts and a flat horizontally disposed, table top T fixed to andoverlying the top of the rack.

The rails 11 and 11' are shown as L-shaped members integrally joinedwith the corner posts related thereto and as having flat horizontallydisposed laterally inwardly projecting tray-supporting flanges 14, whichflanges are adapted to slidably engage the under side of a lip or beadabout the rim or marginal flange of a standard food tray F, and flatvertically disposed upwardly projecting outer or reinforcing flanges 15.

The corner posts 10 of the rack are in the nature of vertically disposedchannel sections and project laterally outwardly from the plane in whichthe support flanges 15 of the rails occur. The corner posts 10 areprovided with flat upwardly disposed upper ends which serve assupporting shoulders for elements of a novel tray supporting means M, aswill hereinafter be described.

The ordinary conventional or standard food tray F, such as illustratedin the drawings, is a flat rectangular shaped metal unit having straightparallel sides and ends, upwardly projecting and outwardly inclinedmarginal flange and an outwardly and downwardly turned lip about theupper edge of the flange 16 forming a round or convex rim 17 about thetray.

The flange 16 and rounded rim 17 about the tray F provides the tray withsuflicient rigidity that it will not bend or flex when engaged andsupported at or along one side thereof.

In practice, the rim 17 is frequently in the nature of a tightly rolledbead. Further, the angle of inclination of the flange 16 is frequentlyvaried, although its vertical extent remains constant.

The above-mentioned variations are such that they do not in any wayadversely affect the novelty of the present invention.

The table top T is a flat rectangular laminated board and is providedalong its two opposite side edges with angle sections S to facilitatesecuring the top to the frame. The sections F have laterally inwardlyprojecting bottom flanges 20, which flanges engage the bottom surface ofthe board or top, and have upwardly projecting outer flanges 21, whichflanges engage the inner surfaces of spreaders 22 extending between theupper ends of each pair of corner posts related to each other by theseries of tray-supporting rails 11 and 11. In practice the spreaders 22can be identical to the rails 11 and 11', or can, as illustrated in thedrawings, be simple flat weblike portions established from the samesheet of stock from which the rails and their related corner posts areestablished.

The flanges 20 are secured to the bottom of the table top by suitablescrew fasteners 23 and the flanges 21 are secured to their relatedspreaders or webs 22 by suitable bolt and nut assemblies 24.

The food tray construction F described above is typical or conventional.The food tray rack construction described in the foregoing is a typicaland substantially conventional construction.

The present invention provides in addition to the foregoing, elongate,horizontally disposed tray-supporting means M extending along the upperedges of the said one and opposite sides of the tray rack, which meansare adapted to cooperatively engage the side edges of food trays F andsupport them in horizontal planes so that they project freely, laterallyoutwardly, from the rack.

The means M at each side of the rack include elongate L-shaped sections,co-extensive with the adjacent side edges of the rack and have upwardlyprojecting inner flanges with outwardly and downwardly turnedrimengaging lips 31 along the upper edges thereof, flat, horizontallaterally-outwardly projecting bottom flanges 32 with upwardlyprojecting webs 33 along the outer edges thereof and flat horizontal,laterally inwardly turned tray bottom engaging pads 34 along the upperedges of the webs.

The laterally inwardly disposed surfaces of the inner flanges 30establishes flat engagement on the outwardly disposed surfaces of thespreaders or webs 22 of the rack and are held in tight clampedengagement thereon by the nut and bolt assemblies 24, which, as notedabove, serve to secure the flanges 21 of the sections S to the saidspreaders.

The end portions of the bottom flanges 32 rest upon and find support onthe top or upper ends of the corner posts 10 related thereto, as clearlyillustrated in the drawings.

The vertical distance between the lower surfaces of the rim-engaginglips 31 and the top surfaces of the pan bottom engaging pads 34 is equalto the vertical extent or distance between the bottom surfaces of thepans and the tops of the rims on the pans.

The pads 34 are spaced a substantial distance laterally outwardly fromthe lips 31 and serve to establish flat bearing and supportingengagement on the bottoms of the trays F related thereto, along linesspaced from the portion of the tray rims engaged by the lips 31.

In practice, the edge portion of the tray to be engaged with each of themeans M is seated on the pad 34 related thereto, tipped downwardly andthen slid downwardly inwardly so that the rim along said side portionoccurs below the related lip 31. The outer or remote portion of the trayis then lowered so that the tray pivots on the pad and the rim 17 shiftsupwardly into engagement with the bottom surface of the lip 31 and sothat the lip establishes hook engagement therewith and prevents 4.lateral outward shifting of the tray relative to the rack and stops thetray in a horizontal plane.

By positioning the pads 34, which are of limited lateral extent on thetops of the webs 33 and in spaced relationship above the bottom flanges32, the angle at which the trays F must be tipped to allow forengagement of the rims 17 below the lips 31 is materially reduced from asituation Where it might be sought to allow the bottoms of the trays torest upon the bottom flanges 32, since the edges of the trays beingengaged with the means M can extend or project laterally inwardly anddownwardly below the horizontal planes of the pads 34.

The above relationship of parts makes it possible to engage a tray ladenwith food stuffs with the means M on the rack without tipping it to suchan extent as would result in spilling the food.

In the case illustrated in the drawings, the outer flanges 21 of themounting sections S on the table top are provided with laterallyoutwardly offset upwardly projecting extensions 50 with laterallyoutwardly and downwardly turned reinforcing lips 51 to establish matingengagement with the upper portions of the inner flanges and the lips 31of the means M.

The extensions 50 and lips 51 suitably reinforce the lips 31 and preventthem from being bent upwardly when engaged by heavily ladened trays.

In practice, the lips 31 of the means M are slightly less inlongitudinal extent than the sides of the tray related thereto and sothat the portions of the tray flanges and rims, extending laterallyoutwardly and at right angles to the said sides of the trays do notinterfere with and engage the lips 31 in such a manner as to preventthem from establishing hooked engagement with the portions of the rimsextending parallel and adjacent to them.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, thelip 31 is longer than the adjacent side of the tray F related to it andhas its end portions 55 formed to project laterally outwardly in ahorizontal plane rather than outwardly and then downwardly and so thatthe laterally outwardly projecting portions of the flange and rim on thetray will not interfere with the downwardly turned portions of the lip31 and prevent it from establishing hook engagement with the portion ofthe rim adjacent to it. The end portions 55 cooperate with the remainderof the lip to define longitudinally outwardly disposed tray flangeengaging stop shoulders 56.

It will be noted that the ends of the lips or the downwardly turnedportions of the lips engage the inner opposed sides of the outwardlyextending portions of the flanges on the trays related thereto and stopor prevent the trays from being accidently shifted longitudinally of themeans M.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have invented a new,highly effective and dependable tray rack construction wherein trays canbe easily and conveniently arranged and supported at the sides of therack, without the provision and necessary manipulation of levers,pivoted supports or other mechanical elements.

It will be further apparent that the means M that I provide a easy andeconomical to manufacture, is neat and attractive and in addition toproviding a support for a tray, also serves to stiffen and reinforce thetray rack construction.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the artand fall within the scope of the following claim:

Having described by invention, I claim:

A tray rack including an open frame with four vertically disposed cornerposts, a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of laterally spaced traysupporting rails in the frame, spreaders fixed to and extending betweenthe corner posts at the upper and lower ends thereof a rectangular tabletop, mounting means fixing the table top to the frame to occur at andoverlie the top thereof and like tray supporting means extendinglongitudinally along two opposite sides of the frame adjacent the sidesof the table top to engage trays having flat bottoms and upwardlyprojecting flanges about their perimeters and to support said trays inhorizontal planes at the sides of the rack, said means including, anelongate horizontally disposed section having a flat vertical disposedinner flange, a flat horizontally disposed bottom flange, an outwardlyand downwardly turned tray flange engaging lip on the upper edge of theinner flange, an upwardly projecting web on the outer edge of the bottomflange, and a flat horizontally disposed tray bottom engaging padcarried by the web on a plane spaced above the bottom flange and spacedoutward of the inner flange and the lip, said pad adapted to engage andsupport the bottom surface of a tray along a line spaced inwardly fromone side of the tray, the said lip establishing hook engagement with theupper edge of the flange of the tray along the said one side of thetray, said inner flanges being fixed to the spreaders extending betweenthe upper ends of the corner posts and along said opposite sides of theframe, said mounting means including angle sections extendinglongitudinally of the said opposite sides of the rack and having bottomflanges engaging and supporting the table top, and outer flangesoccuring adjacent and fixed to the spreaders at the said opposite sidesof the frame, the ends of the lips having upturned portions toaccommodate adjacent outwardly extending portions of the tray flange andestablishing longitudinally outwardly disposed stop shoulders to engagethe said adjacent portions of the tray flange and prevent longitudinalshifting of the tray relative to the said support means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 750,595 1/04Campbell 248250 1,111,151 9/14 Heartman 108-48 2,584,006 1/52 Finger108l52 2,727,754 12/55 Webb 211-426 2,959,298 11/60 Pope 2111263,028,975 4/62 Bullock 21 1126 FOREIGN PATENTS 823,984 11/59 GreatBritain.

241,481 10/46 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

